Wisconsin Professional Police Association sought a declaration that the Wisconsin Counties Association was subject to Wisconsin’s public records law, that the Wisconsin Counties Association violated that law, and a mandamus order directing the Counties Association to produce records requested by the Police Association pursuant to that law.
The Circuit Court dismissed the complaint on the ground that the public records law imposed record inspection and production duties only on an “authority,” as defined in WIS. STAT. § 19.32(1), and the Counties Association, as an unincorporated association, “quite clearly does not fall within” that definition. The Court of Appeals affirmed.